One of the silver linings of MS is that I come across the most amazing people who inspire me everyday. Why didn’t I see them before MS? I did not take the time nor did I have the insight to recognize their strength. One of those people is Kesha Pilot. Two years ago, she was in a car crash that paralyzed her from the waste down. To make matters more challenging, she is a mommy to a very special little boy named Parker.

We had the chance to talk recently and share stories about being a mommy in a wheelchair. While we both struggle with the moments where our little guys want us to pick them up, we cherish the moments when they learn to work with our disabilities to climb our way, into our laps and hearts for those huge, powerful hugs. Our boys are learning acceptance and strength from a very early age.

Kesha understands the importance of how the right tools and equipment can help someone regain independence. She formed a fund raising group that is called Save the Wheelchair. She works with other disability advocates from around the country meet face-to-face with policy makers on Capitol Hill to fight for access to wheelchairs that will empower thousands of Americans of all ages.

As if her charity was not inspiring enough, Kesha is finishing up her biology degree towards her goal of being a physician. Her class goes on a biology trip to Belize to research currents and coral reefs. As those of us with spinal cord injury know, a trip like this is virtually impossible. But Kesha was not willing to accept the typical NO. She decided to talk with her professor about how they could make it happen. First issue on the list, swimming. Kesha, along with her professor found a way for her to explore the coral reef. They found an amazing adaptolution, a scuba scooter. This amazing equipment helps her move around the water and explore the coral reefs! Furthermore, they found ingenious pulls that will help her back onto the boat with two helping hands. While it takes a team effort and support for those of us with spinal cord injuries to experience trips or events that many take for granted, it takes an amazing spirit like Kesha to fight, research, refuse to accept no as an answer and pioneer an event like this so that others know it can be done.